Lucie Brignac SUZANNE SHELDON Julien Brignac DENNIS EADIE Lioret ROBERT GREY Annette MURIEL ASHWYNNE Catherine BETTY CASTLE Mme. Bernin LILIAN M. REVELL Pierre Poiret FRED GROVE Laurent CHARLES DODSWORTH Le Sous-Intendant MICHAEL SHERBROOKE Le Colonel FRANK H. DENTON M. Chevillot VINCENT STERNROYD Jacques Poiret TREVOR LOWE Mme. Chevillot Mrs. CHARLES MALTBY Le Président KENYON MUSGRAVE L’Avocat C. HERBERT HEWETSON Mme. Thomas CLARE GREET Marie Gaubert ITALIA CONTI Tupin BLAKE ADAMS Mme. Tupin EILY MALYON Le Procureur CHARLES A. DORAN ACT I _Brignac’s drawing-room. Doors right, left, and at the back. Furniture of a government official. When the curtain rises Lucie, a woman of about thirty, is alone. Brignac, a man of thirty-eight, opens a door outside and calls gaily from the anteroom._ BRIGNAC. Here I am. [_He takes off his cloak, gives it to a maid-servant, and enters_]. LUCIE [_gaily_] Good morning, sous-préfet. BRIGNAC [_he is in the uniform of a sous-préfet. A tunic or dolman, with simple embroidery and two rows of buttons; a cap with an embroidered band, a sword with a mother o’ pearl handle and a silver-plated sheath. His belt is of silk; his trousers blue with a silver stripe; and he wears a black cravat. He comes forward, taking off his sword and belt during the following conversation. He is finishing a large cigar_] Have you been bored all alone? LUCIE. With three children one hasn’t time to be bored. BRIGNAC [_taking his sword into the anteroom_] By Jove, no! LUCIE. Well, how did the luncheon go off? BRIGNAC [_throwing away his cigar-end_] Very well. I’ll tell you all about it in a minute. [_Going to the door to the right and calling through_] Has M. Mouton come? A VOICE [_from outside_] Yes, monsieur le sous-préfet. Shall I tell him he’s wanted? BRIGNAC. No. Bring me my letters. [_He closes the door and comes back_] Shall I never catch that fellow out? LUCIE. Why do you want to? BRIGNAC. I want to get rid of him, of course, and get a young chap. An unmarried man wouldn’t ask half the salary I give this one. _A clerk enters bringing letters._ CLERK. The letters, monsieur le sous-préfet. BRIGNAC. All right. _The clerk goes out. Brignac glances at the addresses and sorts the letters into several piles without opening the envelopes._ LUCIE. That little ceremony always amuses me.